Gamble Nets Four as Women's Lacrosse Doubles Up St. Andrews 14-7

LAURINBURG, N.C. - Pfeiffer University scored six consecutive goals in the second half to pull away for a 14-7 Conference Carolinas women’s lacrosse victory over host St. Andrews Presbyterian College on Wednesday afternoon. The Lady Knights (4-7 Overall, 2-3 Conf.) led 3-1 after 20 minutes but the Lady Falcons (9-4, 3-0) outscored St. Andrews 13-4 over the final 40 minutes to remain undefeated in Conference Carolinas action.

Pfeiffer used a balanced offense with 10 different Falcons recording at least a goal or an assist. Freshman Allie Gamble (Easton, Md.) led the visitors with four goals while sophomore Tory Binder (Woodstock, Md.) handed out a game-high three assists. The Falcons recorded assists on 10-of-11 non-free position goals.

Reigning Conference Carolinas Player of the Week, freshman Megan Jolly (Waterloo, N.Y.), led the Royal Blue & White with four goals. Junior Kim McDaniel (Joppa, Md.) added one goal and both of the Knights’ assists.

St. Andrews grabbed a quick 1-0 lead just 24 seconds into the contest when sophomore Anna Egeln (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) scored on a rush after Jolly won the opening draw control. Junior Jessica Kennedy (Perth, Australia) tied the score at the 27:02 mark, depositing a pass from Binder, to tie the score for Pfeiffer.

Jolly finished with a game-high seven draw controls. Jolly then put the hosts ahead for the final time, 3-1, with a pair of free-position scores midway through the first half. Pfeiffer answered with the next three goals to take its first lead, 4-3, that was capped by two consecutive goals by junior Jessica Moulton (Huntington, Md.).

Jolly deadlocked the score for the third and final time at 4-4 with her third tally of the day with 5:23 on the clock. Pfeiffer junior Sarah Hebberd (Golden, Colo.) responded with a goal just 65 seconds later to put the Falcons ahead for good while a sophomore Liz Melesh (Annapolis, Md.) goal with 19.9 seconds left in the period provided Pfeiffer with a 6-4 halftime advantage.

Junior Brett Vyverberg (Pittsford, N.Y.) scored in the opening minute of the second half to pull the Knights within one before Pfeiffer rattled off six unanswered goals in a 12-minute span to build a seven-goal cushion, 12-5. The two teams traded the last four goals in the final quarter of play as the Falcons won by the same seven-goal margin.

Junior goalkeeper Morgan Achilles (Geneva, Md.) had a busy day in net for St. Andrews, making 16 saves on 30 Falcon shots on goal.

Pfeiffer doubled up the Knights, 36-18, on shots while nearly having twice as many ground balls, 21-12. SAPC held a slim 12-11 draw control edge but the Falcons forced the Knights into making 21 mistakes with 12 caused turnovers. Pfeiffer did a much better job protecting the ball with only eight turnovers.

Sophomore netminder Caitlin Ryan (Perth, Australia) picked up her ninth win on the season, making five saves in 57 minutes of work. Moulton had a four-point performance with two goals and two assists. Kennedy netted a hat trick; Hebberd provided two goals and one assist; while Melesh and junior Alex Cook (Commack, N.Y.) both chipped in with one goal and one assist.

Falcons’ junior defender Amanda Smith (Leesburg, Va.) had game highs of six ground balls and four caused turnovers.

Both squads will return from the Easter holiday break against league rival Lees-McRae College. Pfeiffer entertains the Bobcats first on Friday, April 9 at 4 p.m., before St. Andrews visits Banner Elk, N.C., on Tuesday, April 13 at 3 p.m.